Candidates Revealed For May’s Elections
A polling station in Dobcross on by-election day in January.
The nominations have closed for next month’s elections to Oldham Council and Saddleworth Parish Council.
A total of 11 candidates will contest the three Saddleworth wards on the borough council. There are 40 hopefuls for the 20 parish seats.
All three borough seats will be defended by the Liberal Democrats. Derek Heffernan is standing again in Saddleworth North, and he’s likely to face a strong challenge from Independent Ken Hulme, who came a close second to Alan Roughley in the same ward last year. Phil Sewell is the Conservative candidate, with Sean Fielding representing Labour.
In Saddleworth South, Christine Wheeler is stepping down, leaving parish councillor Phil Renold to fight the seat for the Lib Dems. Tory Graham Sheldon has done well in the ward in the past and is standing again, with Labour putting up Dilys Fletcher and Dominic Wall of the Greens also on the ballot.
The other borough council ward, Saddleworth West and Lees, will be defended by Brian Lord. He faces competition from Conservative Pam Byrne and Labour’s Adrian Alexander.
The current Chairman of Saddleworth Parish Council, Keith Begley, is not standing again.
All 20 places on Saddleworth Parish Council are up for grabs. Four years ago, the Lib Dems claimed 17 seats. But seven of those sitting Lib Dems are not putting themselves forward for another term.
The list includes the current Parish Council Chairman, Keith Begley. Phil Renold is standing for the borough council only, and the other five to retire are Phil Bagley, Bob Birse, Philip Davenport, Andrew Hodgkiss and Anne Parry.
There are six different electoral wards on the Parish Council, with varying numbers of councillors. The Delph ward, which also covers Denshaw, has five candidates competing for three seats. Just two party descriptions are represented, with borough councillor Alan Roughley among the three Lib Dems, and Ken Hulme one of two Independents.
The Dobcross ward includes Diggle, and has six candidates aiming for three places. The three sitting Lib Dems, Mike Buckley, Royce Franklin and Dorothy Shaw, are all standing again, along with two Conservatives and one Independent.
Uppermill elects two parish councillors, and there are five contenders. Former council chair Alma McInnes is one of two Lib Dems, while Mr Sheldon and Ms Byrne are the two Tories. Nick Watts, who came to prominence when he raised a petition of more than 700 signatures against parking restrictions in Uppermill, is standing as an Independent candidate.
Greenfield has the largest field, with 13 candidates competing for five places in a ward which also covers Grasscroft and Lydgate. Sitting councillors John Hudson and David Atherton are among five Conservatives, while borough councillor John McCann is one of five Lib Dems. There are two Labour candidates, along with another Independent.
Springhead Higher comprises Austerlands, Scouthead and Higher Springhead, and has four candidates battling for two seats. Borough councillors Heffernan and Barbara Beeley are the two Lib Dems up against Independent Rob Knotts and Conservative Natalie Wolstenhulme.
The last ward, Springhead Lower, elects five councillors to represent Grotton and Lower Springhead. Mr Lord is one of five Lib Dems in the field, along with a Labour candidate and an Independent.
Polling day is Thursday 5 May. As well as the borough and parish elections, you’ll also be able to vote in the national referendum on whether to replace the First Past the Post voting system with the Alternative Vote, for Westminster elections.
If you haven’t yet registered to vote, you’ve got until 14 April. That’s also the deadline if you want to apply for a postal vote. The cut-off date for a proxy vote, when someone casts your vote on your behalf, is 21 April. To do any of those things, contact Oldham Council’s elections office as soon as possible, on 0161 770 4718.
Also ring that number if you’re interested in a free ticket to attend the count. The borough council votes will be counted at 10pm on polling day itself, while the parish count will take place at 10am on Friday 6 May. Counting in the referendum will begin at 4pm on the Friday.
For more details, and to see the full lists of candidates nominated, visit Oldham Council’s elections page here.
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
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